Lumber package



sept. 21,1926; 1,600,720.

' J. V. DENISON LUMBER PACKAGE Filed Oct. 25. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1sept. 21 192e. A1,660,720

J. V. DENISON LUMBER'PACKAGE Filed Oct. 25. 1924 2 Sl'xeeats-Sheetl 2Patented sept. 21, 1926.

PATENT oFFIcE.

JOHN v. DENIsoN, oF sTEvENsoN, ALABAMA.

LUMBER PACKAGE.

Application led October 25, 1924. Serial No. 745,863.

My invention relates generally to the art of making bundles and balesand particularly to making packages of lumber, which lumber is of sizeand quality requiring care- 5 ful handling and protection againstsoiling and bruising and breaking and moisture and theft duringtransportation and while being kept in stock.4 y

One of the uses to which I have put my l improvement in regular practiceis the packaging of cedar lumber made for lining moth- Aproof closetsand boxes and for similar purposes, this cedar lumber being cut to theuniform width of two and one-half inches l and to the uniform thicknessof threeeighths of an inch, while vthe piecesare of varying lengths.Thisvariation in length is due to the variation in the length of logs orblocks of cedar from which the boards or :0 strips are cut. Cedar treesdo not grow large and they are so scarce as to require sawing trunks orblocks of any length which will produce these thin boards of a lengthwhich can be used. And it is to be noted that l5 cedar wood is soft andfor that reason requires proper packaging; andI proper packagingincludes giving to the package sufficient strength to prevent breakingof the pieces. v 0 For convenientmarketing of this lumber,

it is desirable to make standard or unit packages, packages whichcontain definite or uniform' quantities of surface measurement of thelumber. This reason is similar to the' 5 reason for making packages ofcloth containing definite or uniform numbers of yards of the cloth.

In practice I have found that eight feet is a suitable length for thesepackages, and

) I have made this a standard length. This is 'convenient for handlingand for transportation, and conforms approximately to the maximum lengthof pieces sawed for thi trade in connect-ion with my work.

i It' is also desirable that every package be -left between the ends ofthe short pieces.- `.That will require more layers to give the packagethe chosen numberv of lineal feet of uniform thickness or cross sectionfrom one end of the package to the other, and

that the package be thick enoughto make ity sufficiently strong to avoidbreaking any of the pieces in the package vduring 'handlingortransportation. The package should also include a protective coveringsufficient to,

prevent soiling and particularly to prevent bruising of the pieces andto'keep the lumber free from moisture.

la part being broken away;

Fig. 2 is an elevation showing a surface made up of edges of the lumber,the cover having not yet been applied;

`Fig. 3 is a plan of the package shown by Fig. 2;

,Fig 4 is an elevation, in full size, of a part of the structure asshown in Fig. 2;

Fig. is a cross section, in full size, on the line, 5 5, of Fig. 2,looking toward the right; l

Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views yshowing a shipping tag applied to thepackage;

ljig. 8 illustrates a sealing patch.

Referring to the drawings, A. A are the boards or strips of lumber. Eachpiece, A, has along one side edge a groove, A1, andalong its other sideedge a tongue, A2. and

l'across one end a groove, A3, and across the other end a tongue, A4.

As-shown best in Fig. 5, the boards are placed in horizontal la ers, twopieces lieing placed side by si e, the edge ofione piecel bearing thetongue and the edge of the other piece bearino` the groove being broughttogether vand t e tongue entering the groove. One or more of the lowerlayers, and of the upper layers are preferably formed of pieces whichare of the full length of the package. -The intermediate layers are madeof pieces of full length or of an length which will produce the 'fulllengtli of the package, pieces being selected which will, when laid linposition end to end,

make the full length or eight feet. Thus two pieces or several piecesmayI be placed 4end to end to make'the full length. This is thepreferred way. -But spaces may be of boards. 1 y

It has .already been stated that the tongues and grooves on themeeting'-` side edges of the pieces are to be interlocked or inter'-engaged. The pieces which are shorter than A full length are preferablyto be so placed grooves.

ing side edges and end edges of the pieces tends to glve the inishedpackage such strength end stability as could not be had otherwise. Thecondition thus produced approaches the condition which would exist 1flthe package consisted ofunitary boards of the full length and fullwidth of the package. Making the package of uniform crosssection alsocontributes to strength.

The number of layers is made sufficient to put into the package thechosen or standard number of feet of surface measurement.

When the body of the packagehas been arranged as above described, anydesired ,number of bands, B, are placed transversely 'around said body.Said bands are preferably formed of metal. The drawings show the body ofthe bands composed ofwire, the

ends of which are held by sheet metal p buckles, B1, of any well-knownform.

the joint ormed-at The body is now readyv to be enclosed in the cover,C. `This is preferably formed of paper which is strong and adapted toprevent the passing of moisture. A sheet of ,such paper is folded aroundthe body and v has its side-edges overlappingat CI. The

end edges are folded over each other as shown at C2. Then a sealingstrip, C3, of.

paper i'sapplied len hwise along and over 1 and over the ends of thepackage. Thus all thev edges of the cover are well held and the coverneatly and effectively sealed, the cover being adapted to reventsoilingand to exclude' moisture 'an to revent bruising of the strips of lum-vber an to add strength tocthe-package and to prevent1mauthor1zed-remova1 of parts of the lumber pieces.

A further step conslsts in applying'one or -more shipping tags in a'secure manner.

This is done by securing such ta or tags to one or more -of thewirebands,

bands being covered by the package cover,

. These C, it is necessary tov puncture the paper at the 1place wherethe tag isxto be attached.

ig. 6, a'hook, H, is driven through the` aper cover and under a band, B,and the atter when drawn -outward far `enough to H passed through theY.and across the wire,

allow the wire cord, T1, of the tag, T, to be oening in the paperbetween the latter and the adjacent lumber.` Then the hook l. price ishigh.

is toy be removed and the cord, T1, twisted upon itself for effectiveholding. In Fig. 7, an open wire link, T2, .extends through the eye ofthe tag, T,- and through an openingin the paper cover and across one ofthe bands, B, between the latter and the lumber.

This link is applied by passing the long arm of the link, T2, throughlthe paper cover and across the band, B.

When the tag has been applied, the small opening thus/formed in thecover may be lclosed by means of a patch of paper, D, or

other sheet-form material having a slot, D1,

this patch being secured to the vcover by adhesive after being put intoposition by moving the patch to pass the cord, T1, 0.1' the link, T2,thrugh the slot,l D1, to the middle of the patch.

While the drawings show the package having twoboards or strips laid sideby side to form the layers in the package, it is to be understood thatthese layers may be formed of any other number of boards, it

being remembered that the package ispto contain a chosen or standardnumber ofv board feet. A

Heretofore ithas been the practice with manufacturers of such cedarlumber to asvsort' and bundle or package the pieces or boards accordingto length, pieces 1 foot long forming a package' and other pieces in thesame manner formi-ng bundles or packages of their lengths until thelongest pieces are bundledby themselves. Thus none of the bundles aremade composite. Every bundle contains 'pieces` of its length. In thehandlingof this lumber, it must be sought to avoid bruising the vends ofthe pieces which are at the ends of the packages. If the lumber isassorted andA bundled according to lengths, the number of exposed endsof pieces is increased. In my composite package, the number :of exposedends is .limited 'by placing the shorter pieces be'- tween the fulllengtl pieces. Iftwo short pieces are thus placed end to end -betweenfull lengths, those two short pieces have four ends but only twooffthelr ends are placed at the ends of the "bundle, `If four shortpieces are thus placedend to lend between the full length pieces, thosefour pieces have eight ends, but only two of those i eight ends areplaced -at the ends of the package. `If eight vshort .'pieces are thusplaced end to end between the' full lengthv ieces, those eight pieceshave .sixteen ends.,

ut only two of those-sixteen ends are placed at the endsy of the:package. In this connection, it is to be observedthat this cedar lumberis soft and easily bruised. It is also to be remembered that theproduction of this lumber is By way of sulninary, it may be stated thatin my composite package there are costly and that its selling A ment andthe outer boards being of a stand-[ y reco/72o putation of the contentof several or a car 'load of packages. 'It is only necessary-tdlmultiply ,the content ofone package bythe@ number of packages. `That isadecided convenience for dealers and users. .Fur-l thermore, `tl1e numberoff packages iis 1.

limited, because there are-no short packages,

I claim as my invention,

l. A lumber package comprising Wooden boards andbands and a cover, theboard;` l o Auniform Width .and laid side by side and) being tongued andgrooved and being latwise` upon each other andtheir meeting edges makingtongue-and-groove engageL ard lengthand the full length of the pack` ageand intermediate boards being ,shorterf and laid end to end and havingaggregate" length approximately equal to the length of the full lengthboards, the bands surroundinnr the vrou of boards and the cover -sur- C,t) i rounding the group of boards'and the bands, substantially asdescribed.

2. A lumber package, comprising 1Wooden boards. andbands and a cover,the boards being of'uniform width and tongued and grooved at their 'sideedges and at their ends and being laid side by side and flatvvise uponeach other and their side edges making tongue-an'd-groove engagement andthe outer. boards being the full length of the package and intermediateboards Y shorter and laid end to end and having aggregate lengthapproximately equal to the length of the full lengthjboards and theirmeeting .ends making. tongue-and-groove engagement, the bandssurrounding thel group of boards, and the cover surrounding the group ofboards C,and the bands, sub-- stantially as described.-

3. A lumber package l.comprising flat boards, binding members, a Wrappersecured around the group of boardsy andthe binding members, and a tag,the-body of the wrapper havingV va perforation adjacent one -of thebinding members and the tag having an attaching member extending throughsaid perforation and. around said binding mem'- AAber, substantially asdescribed.

4 A lumber package` comprisingflat boards, binding members, a wrap ersecured around the .group of boards and t e binding members, a tag, thebody, 'of the wrapper having a perforation adjacent' one ofthe',

binding members and the tag having van attaching member extendingthrough, said fpackage and intermediate boards shorterand laid en d toend and having ag. fjgregate length aproximately equal to the ylength ofthe full length boards, and the '.bands surrounding the .'-ystantiallyllas described.

being l 5. A lumer package comprising wooden boards and bands, theboards being-tongued and grooved and being of uniform width er boardsbein the full length of' the 6. A lumber package comprising Woodenboards and bands, the boards being tongued and grooved at their sideedges'and at their ends and being of uniform vvidthy and laid side'. byside and -flatwise upon eachother and their side edges makingtongue-andgroo'ye engagement and the outer boards being the full lengthof the ackage and intermediate boardsgbeing s orter and laid end toendvand :making tongueiand-groove engagement attheir meeting ends and havingaggregatelength aproxlmately equal to the length'of the full lengthboards, and the bands surrounding the group of boards, substantiallyasdescribed.

n7. A lumber package comprising wooden boards and bands, the boardsbeingtongued l and grooved and' being of uniform Width and laid sidebyside and atwise upon each other and their meeting edges making and laidside by side and latwise upon each yother and their 'meeting edgesmaking .tonguefand-groove engagement and the outbeing group of/ boards,subtongue-and-groove engagement and certain of l the boards being thefull length of the package and certain of the boards being shorter andlaid end to end and having aggregate length approximately equal to thelength of the f ull length boards and the bands surrounding the group ofboards, substantially as described.

8. Thel herein described method of making a lumber package, which methodconsists in laying flat boards upon each other to form the body ofvv thepackage, then placing bands around said body, then securing a wrapperaround said body and thebands, and then attaching a tag to one of thebandsby mak- -ing apperforationy at one of the bands and forcing theadjacent partof the band out- Ward and passing the attachingA member ofl the tag through said perforation and around said band, substantiallyas described.

In testimonyv whereof` I have signed my ty-four. v A

i JOHN v; DENisoN;

